The anxiety sensitivity index: item analysis and suggestions for refinement

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Anxiety sensitivity, the fear of anxiety-related sensations, is commonly measured using the 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI).
• Previous research indicates potential inadequacy in several ASI items, with item-to-scale correlations not yet published.
• Evaluating the psychometric properties of the ASI is crucial for its continued effective use in research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the item adequacy and factor structure of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI).
• To identify specific items within the ASI that may be underperforming or contributing to measurement error.
• To assess the psychometric properties and utility of a revised, shorter version of the ASI.

Main Methods:

• A converging set of statistical analyses was employed to examine item adequacy and the factor structure of the ASI.
• Item-to-scale correlations and factor analyses were conducted to identify problematic items.
• Data from three prior studies were reanalyzed using both the original 16-item ASI and a revised 11-item ASI.

Main Results:

• Multiple analyses converged, suggesting that items 1, 5, 7, 8, and 13 should be considered for removal from the ASI.
• Reanalysis indicated that the 11-item ASI functions comparably to the original 16-item version.
• The revised 11-item ASI may offer a more precise measurement of anxiety sensitivity, specifically assessing fears of somatic sensations and loss of mental control.

Conclusions:

• The 11-item ASI, excluding the identified problematic items, is a potentially improved measure of anxiety sensitivity.
• The revised scale effectively captures two primary dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: somatic concerns and fear of cognitive/mental control loss.
• Further refinement and validation of the ASI are recommended to enhance its psychometric integrity and clinical utility.